Matter , God , and Nonsense Berkeley ’ s Polemic Against the Freethinkers in the Three Dialogues ∗

In a notebook he kept while composing the Principles, Berkeley reminded himself “To use the utmost Caution not to give the least Handle of offence to the Church or Church-men” (N, §715). This remark is prima facie puzzling, for Berkeley certainly seems to be defending conservative religious conclusions of the sort the ‘Church-men’ ought to find quite amenable. Since it is difficult to understand how Berkeley could simultaneously defend traditional religion and be in danger of offending the Church-men, commentators discussing this entry have usually held that things are not as they seem: either Berkeley does not really fear offending the leaders of his own church (e.g., Roberts 2007, 8) or Berkeley does not actually regard his philosophy as a defense of religious orthodoxy (e.g., Turbayne 1970b, 154-156; Muehlmann 1992, 186-189). Connected with this general puzzle about the place of religion in Berkeley’s early works is a more specific puzzle about the Three Dialogues. The preface of that work promises that: